Drug delivery methods and related products

• US 9,138,379 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Beiriger, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): SEOH, MINNAH L
• Application Number:
  US12/827,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0503 Holders, support devices for receptacles, e.g. for drainage or urine bags hanging-up devices for infusion A61M5/1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/20 Arrangements for transferring or mixing fluids, e.g. from vial to syringe
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2013 having two piercing ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2089 Containers or vials which are to be joined to each other in order to mix their contents combinations of vial and syringe for mixing their contents A61J1/2096
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/002 Compounding apparatus specially for enteral or parenteral nutritive solutions bottling liquids B67C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/342 Adding solutions to the blood, e.g. substitution solutions for preventing coagulation A61M1/3672
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3462 Circuits for the preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3622 with a cassette forming partially or totally the blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36226 Constructional details of cassettes, e.g. specific details on material or shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3267 Biased sleeves where the needle is uncovered by insertion of the needle into a patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/267 having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/14 : for connecting tubes having sealed ends needle sets A61M5/162; having valves closing automatically on disconnection of line A61M39/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 : Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1408 : in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves access sites A61M39/02; tube connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1415 : Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 : Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/162 : Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube ; Connections between reservoir and tube in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 : controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 : Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/19 : having more than one chamber , e.g. including a manifold coupling two parallelly aligned syringes through separate channels to a common discharge assembly surgical glue applicators A61B17/00491
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/36 : with means for eliminating or preventing injection or infusion of air into body dialysis systems, blood oxygenators A61M1/14; haemofiltration equipment A61M1/34; automatic tube cut-off A61M39/281
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 : delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

This disclosure relates to drug delivery methods and related products. In some aspects, a method includes selecting a drug vial combination by comparing a prescribed drug dosage to a dosing schedule, and delivering substantially all of the first drug from each of the selected drug vials to a patient by operating a pump of a drug delivery device to which the drug vials are connected.

Claims

1. A method performed on a hemodialysis machine, comprising:

receiving data representing drug vial combinations providing a plurality of drug dosages to be delivered over multiple treatments, wherein a first drug vial combination includes at least one drug vial of a first size, and a second drug vial combination contains at least one drug vial of a second size,

selecting, by one or more processors of the hemodialysis machine, a drug vial combination of the drug vial combinations, by comparing a prescribed drug dosage to the received data representing the drug vial combinations, each drug dosage associated with a plurality of drug vial combinations,

the selected drug vial combination comprising one or more drug vials, each of the one or more drug vials containing a first drug, the drug vial combination selected such that an unused amount of the first drug is minimized during a treatment of the multiple treatments; and

delivering, by a drug delivery device of the hemodialysis machine, substantially all of the first drug from each of the one or more drug vials during a treatment of the multiple treatments to a patient, wherein a control unit of the drug delivery device automatically operates a pump of the drug delivery device to which the one or more drug vials are connected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit of the drug delivery device selects the drug vial combination.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control unit runs a computer program that automatically selects the drug vial combination based on the prescribed dosage and operator preferences.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the prescribed dosage and operator preferences are entered into the drug delivery device by the operator.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the prescribed dosage is electronically transmitted to the control unit from a database storing data comprising the prescribed dosage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the prescribed dosage is entered into the database by or at the direction of a physician of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug vial combination is selected based at least in part on the number of drug vials required over the course of the multiple treatments.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the drug vial combination is selected based at least in part on the number of drug vials required over the course of multiple treatments.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the drug vial combination is selected based in part on a drug dosage consistency that would be provided by the drug vial combination over the course of multiple treatments.

10. A method performed on a hemodialysis machine, comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of the hemodialysis machine, data related to a prescribed drug dosage;

receiving data representing drug vial combinations providing a plurality of drug dosages to be delivered over multiple treatments, wherein a first drug vial combination includes at least one drug vial of a first size, and a second drug vial combination contains at least one drug vial of a second size,

determining, by the one or more processors of the hemodialysis machine, one or more recommended drug vial combinations by comparing the prescribed dosage to the received data representing the drug vial combinations, each drug dosage associated with a plurality of drug vial combinations, the one or more recommended drug vial combinations determined such that an unused amount of a drug is minimized during a treatment of the multiple treatments,

wherein each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises one or more drug vials, and the one or more drug vials of each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed dosage, each drug vial of each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations containing an amount of drug for delivery during a treatment of the multiple treatments; and

delivering an amount of the drug during a treatment of the multiple treatments, wherein a control unit of a drug delivery device of the hemodialysis machine automatically operates a pump of a drug delivery device to which the one or more drug vials are connected.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying the one or more recommended drug vial combinations on a display.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilize the fewest drug vials over the course of one or more treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilize the fewest drug vials over the course of multiple treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that result in a drug dosage consistency within an acceptable consistency range over the course of one or more treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one of the one or more drug vial combinations that utilizes the fewest number of drug vials over the course of the one or more treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that result in a drug dosage consistency within an acceptable consistency range over the course of multiple treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one of the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilizes the fewest number of drug vials over the course of the multiple treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the drug vial combination from the dosing schedule that provides the greatest drug dosage consistency over the course of the one or more treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the drug vial combination that provides the greatest drug dosage consistency over the course of multiple treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the data is transmitted from a user interface of the hemodialysis machine.

21. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a processor of a hemodialysis machine to:

receiving data representing drug vial combinations providing a plurality of drug dosages to be delivered over multiple treatments, wherein a first drug vial combination includes at least one drug vial of a first size, and a second drug vial combination contains at least one drug vial of a second size,

determine one or more recommended drug vial combinations by comparing a prescribed dosage to the received data representing the drug vial combinations, each drug dosage associated with a plurality of drug vial combinations, the one or more recommended drug vial combinations determined such that an unused amount of a drug is minimized during a treatment of the multiple treatments,

wherein each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises one or more drug vials, wherein each drug vial of each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations contains an amount of drug for delivery during a treatment of the multiple treatments, and the one or more drug vials of each of the one or more recommended drug vial combinations contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed dosage; and

cause a delivery device to deliver an amount of the drug during a treatment of the multiple treatments, wherein a control unit of a drug delivery device of the hemodialysis machine automatically operates a pump of a drug delivery device to which the one or more drug vials are connected.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilize the fewest drug vials over the course of one or more treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilize the fewest drug vials over the course of multiple treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that result in a drug dosage consistency within an acceptable consistency range over the course of one or more treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one of the one or more drug vial combinations that utilizes the fewest number of drug vials over the course of the one or more treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that result in a drug dosage consistency within an acceptable consistency range over the course of multiple treatments and that contain an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations further comprises determining the one of the one or more drug vial combinations from the dosing schedule that utilizes the fewest number of drug vials over the course of the multiple treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the drug vial combination from the dosing schedule that provides the greatest drug dosage consistency over the course of the one or more treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein determining the one or more recommended drug vial combinations comprises determining the drug vial combination that provides the greatest drug dosage consistency over the course of multiple treatments and that contains an amount of drug substantially equal to the prescribed drug dosage.